IT'S BEEN dubbed the fight of the century, and it now has a $4,000 cake to match.

With the hype machine around the Floyd MayweathervManny Pacquiao in orbit, one Philipino baker produced this life sized creation in honour of the plucky underdog who many want to see cream flashy champ Mayweather tonight.

Zach Yonzon creative director and owner of Bunny Baker Cafe, puts the finishing touches to the life-size 70 pound (31.75 kilogram) cake worth in the image of Philippine boxer and national icon Pacquiao at the bake shop in Manila.

The cake, took a week to bake and assemble. Yonzon said if Pacquiao wins, he will serve the cake for free to his customers.

It's just another slice of what has become a one-fight multi-million industry.

As 1,000 people packed in to see last night's weigh-in, Mayweather declared "the time is now" as the gaze of the sporting world turns to Las Vegas for a seismic showdown with Manny Pacquiao that will end five years of disillusion.

The welterweight rivals finally collide at the MGM Grand in the early hours of Sunday morning, repairing boxing's credibility after a succession of false dawns dating back to 2010.

Lawsuits, hostility between rival promoters and broadcasters and Mayweather's blood testing demands prevented the two finest fighters of their generation from clashing until the breakthrough in negotiations came in February.

The answer to years of bar room debate will be delivered when the richest bout in history unfolds in the Nevada desert with unbeaten Mayweather knowing the delay in facing Pacquiao has doubled the value of the fight to an estimated €400 million.

"Everything takes time, it's all about timing. I'm glad that we had patience and didn't rush. The time is now, this is the right time for this fight," Mayweather said.

"This fight is not good versus evil, it's about one fighter who is at the top fighting another fighter who is at the top. It's about giving excitement. We don't know how this fight is going to play out, but I believe in my skills. I believe I am going to be victorious."

Staging the biggest sporting event of the year, for which a mere 500 of the 16,500 arena seats were made available for general sale, is only half the battle as an increasingly-rare crossover moment offers boxing the platform to recapture hearts and minds.

A September rematch is inevitable if the event excites, but a poor spectacle or the occurrence of the type of controversy that happens all-too frequently will invite renewed scorn just as publicity is at its greatest.

Mayweather is a defensive genius, admired for his technical brilliance rather than warrior spirit, and it is Pacquiao's all-action style that will cause the heart to race.

The Filipino southpaw, who is two years younger at 36 but has engaged in 17 more fights, would be the popular winner with the bragging and ostentatious Mayweather with a history of domestic violence towards girlfriends happy to play the role of villain as he nears a fight that will determine his legacy.

"I'm not focused on all the festivities going on. I'm just focussing on being the best I can be, doing what I'm supposed to do.

"I come out and speak loud and do flamboyant things, talking about money. But that doesn't mean that I hate anyone, its all about entertainment. People want to be entertained."

Mayweather's precious 47-0 unbeaten record, just two short of Rocky Marciano's hallowed mark, is expected to face its greatest challenge yet against an opponent who was forced to rebuild after a dramatic knockout by Juan Manuel Marquez in 2012.